Kansas stations tuning in Jacob Martin Band

The Jacob Martin Band is comprised (from left to right) of Matt Guy:bass/backup vocals, Josh Carlson: drums/backup vocals, Jacob Martin: lead vocals/guitar, Jeff Coggins: guitar. The band played at a fundraiser event at Tailgators, 2025 S.W. Urish, on February 15.

The Jacob Martin Band’s current tour found the Nashville-based group in Topeka on Feb. 15 headlining a fundraiser for St. Jude Children’s Hospital hosted by Tailgators and 94.5 Country.

The four-piece country band, which consists of Jacob Martin (guitar and vocals), Josh Carlson (drums and backup vocals), Mike Guy (bass and backup vocals) and Jeff Coggins (guitar), is touring to promote its new single, “Wrap Around Porch.” The song can be found online at various music stores and is played locally on 94.5 FM, as well as on other stations throughout the U.S.

“There’s at least five stations in Kansas alone that are spinning it,” Carlson said. “It’s nationwide in at least half the country and in Canada as well. It’s available on Itunes, Bandcamp and Amazon.”

The band, whose members met through music ads on Craigslist, has put together an eight-track EP and currently is working on a new full-length album. The music is rooted in the country genre high energy, with a rock influence.

“We’re just really high-energy country music — just edgy — and that’s about it,” Martin said.

The band has a long list of shows lined up across the nation and plans on returning to Kansas on April 13 when it plays a show at the Larned VFW in Larned.

“We don’t stop (traveling),” Guy said. “Every weekend — Thursday, Friday and Saturday of every week — we are in a different city and different state.”

Tailgators, 2025 S.W. Urish Road, books about two bands a month on Friday or Saturday nights, except during sports season. Almost half of its shows are fundraisers.

“Fundraiser shows always have a little bit more turnout, because you’re able to hit people a little closer to home and they know the money is going to a good cause,” Tailgators owner Chris Proffitt said.

Since it opened, the bar has hosted nearly 20 fundraisers for organizations such as TARC and Breakthrough House. The bar is hosting a “shave or no shave” fundraiser next month, where auctions will be held to get guys with big beards to shave them off.

“It’s kind of fun,” Proffitt said. “When you’re blessed, you just want to return the blessing, so that’s kind of why we do it.”